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The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

April 2, 2016 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Mood Indigo

The song of the day for Saturday, April 2, 2016 is “Mood Indigo.”

About This Song

Originally titled “Dreamy Blues,” Ellington wrote “Mood Indigo” in 1930, which is based on a theme by Barney Bigard, who is said to have learned it from his New Orleans clarinet teacher, Lorenzo Tio. Ellington wrote the song specifically for “microphone transmission” and it was first played on a 1930 radio broadcast. Audiences loved the song, and so Irving Mills wrote the lyric, changing the name of the song to “Mood Indigo.” The song has been widely recorded by instrumental and vocal artists, including Tony Bennett, Charles Mingus, Ella Fitzgerald, Thelonious Monk, Frank Sinatra, and Nat King Cole.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Mood Indigo” in 1999 for his centennial tribute album to Duke Ellington Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool. The arrangement is by Jorge Calandrelli.

Mood Indigo

Listen to Mood Indigo on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1999.


“Mood Indigo,” as well as Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, is available from iTunes.

About Today

Our video today is the Duke Ellington Orchestra playing “Mood Indigo.”

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Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, Duke Ellington, Irving Mills

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